Auto Club: Gas Prices Head up for Second Straight Week; Many California Regions Are over $2 a Gallon

LOS ANGELES--Jan. 28, 2005--The brief relief from $2-a-gallon gas prices for many Southern Californians appears to be over, as gas price hikes continued for the second straight week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $1.998 a gallon, which is 1.9 cents higher than last week, six cents lower than last month and 24 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $2.011, which is 2.5 cents lower than last week, eight cents below last month and 24 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $2.141, which is up 3.2 cents from last week, six cents lower than last month and 29 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.017, which is up 2.2 cents from last week, five cents below last month and 26 cents above last year.

"Price increases are expected in the coming weeks because of crude oil price increases and lower output from California refineries," said Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp. "Local refineries are producing less due to scheduled maintenance and a regular springtime switch in gasoline formulas for air quality requirements, resulting in price increases for consumers."

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Jan. 28, 2005.

Area                        Regular   Change from     Record Price
                                       last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach       $1.998   +1.9 cents   $2.446 (10/21/2004)

Orange County                $1.978   +2.3 cents   $2.441 (10/23/2004)

San Diego                    $2.011   -2.5 cents   $2.464 (10/21/2004)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-
 Lompoc                      $2.141   +3.2 cents   $2.570 (10/22/2004)

Riverside-San Bernardino     $2.017   +2.2 cents   $2.461 (10/21/2004)

Bakersfield                  $2.018   +3.2 cents   $2.437 (10/23/2004)

Las Vegas                    $1.919   +4.5 cents   $2.290 (10/20/2004)